


I Will Be Here, Don't You Cry

by Pineprin137



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Caring Jared Padalecki, Fluff and Angst, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Hurt/Comfort, Influenza, M/M, Road Trips, Sick Character, Sick Jensen Ackles, Sickfic, Sneezing, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 19:47:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20569889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pineprin137/pseuds/Pineprin137
Summary: I have literally had this completed for a week but couldn't come up with a title. The one I chose is from You'll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins.Also, there is no dialogue in this. For some reason, I just didn't feel like including it. The only "spoken" elements are marked by italics.Warning: Graphic Depictions of Vomit





	I Will Be Here, Don't You Cry

**Author's Note:**

> I have literally had this completed for a week but couldn't come up with a title. The one I chose is from You'll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins.   
Also, there is no dialogue in this. For some reason, I just didn't feel like including it. The only "spoken" elements are marked by italics. 
> 
> Warning: Graphic Depictions of Vomit

Jared looked over at his boyfriend and sighed. They were currently on their way to San Antonio to spend the holidays with Jared’s family and poor Jensen had caught the flu. That morning before they left, his temperature had been ninety-nine, but if the sweat running down his temple was any indication, it had definitely gone up. The sick man was currently curled up in the passenger seat of Jared’s truck with the heater blasting directly on him, wrapped up in his thick plaid wool coat. He was also sporting one of Jared’s hoodies underneath it, a pair of fleece-lined gloves, and the knitted scarf that Sherri had sent last year. He was doped up on cough syrup, cold and flu meds, fever reducer, and had a small package of tissues in one pocket and cough drops in the other. 

They were supposed to catch a flight yesterday, but due to the snowstorm, all flights out of Vancouver International Airport had been canceled. They, they being  _ Jared _ , had decided yesterday that it was worth a thirty-five-hour drive to make it home for Christmas. Jensen hadn’t had much input other than to argue that he didn’t want to get the entire Padalecki clan sick over the holidays. Jared, on the other hand, was dying to take Jensen home to meet his family. They had started dating last year right before the holidays so neither man had ‘met the parents’ yet, though Jared had met Jensen’s little sister, Mackenzie when she came to visit a few months ago. 

Jensen had originally moved into Jared’s house in July of last year as a roommate but it quickly grew into more. They spent hours hanging out in the living room playing video games, watching football, or bingeing tv series. It felt natural to curl up on the couch next to each other or argue over whose team was superior. Jared got used to coming home to a homemade meal and Jensen started to enjoy having Jared’s friends around. They hadn’t even made it official,  _ technically _ . Everyone on set knew, both their families knew, it was just that they hadn’t ever said stated out loud that they were a couple. But it was obvious they were, who else would willingly  _ choose _ to sleep next to a congested, snoring, feverish man? 

Jared peered through the windshield and grimaced at the blanket of white that covered everything. It was usually a fairly interesting drive...for a Texan boy like himself. He loved seeing all of the trees and the further south they got, the more it felt like home. Jensen usually slept in the car, he was prone to motion sickness and the medicine he took for it made him drowsy. Jared didn’t mind too much though, his boyfriend was adorable when he was asleep. His normal serious expression soft and delicate as his broad chest rose and fell. Long eyelashes fluttering as he dreamed. Sometimes Jared would reach over just to run his hand through Jensen’s soft brown hair, wonderfully devoid of gel. If they were at home, the spectacles Jensen hid from the public would slide down his nose and Jared would carefully remove them and place them on the table. Jensen had actually been wearing his glasses earlier, his eyes too itchy to tolerate his contacts, but took them off so he wouldn’t damage them while he slept.

And slept he did. Through Washington, the corner of Oregon, and down to Twin Falls, Idaho where they would be staying for the night. Thirteen hours was a long time to drive in silence,  _ no, snoring did not count _ , and Jared was ready to get out, get some food, and pass out. 

Jared pulled in under the hotel awning and walked inside to check-in. The clerk was friendly and happily filled him in on several places to eat nearby. By the time he returned to the truck, his passenger was awake. Jared noticed that Jensen looked ten times worse than when they started and worried that maybe his boyfriend had been right about this being a mistake… Whereas Jensen’s green eyes had been dull before, now they shined with fever. His skin was pale and glistening with sweat, his nose and cheeks were rosy. All-in-all, Jensen looked absolutely, completely, without a doubt, miserably sick. And they still had another twenty-three hours to go. 

The hotel was nice enough for the price but a little cramped when two six-foot-plus men tried to share it. Jared’s feet hung over the end of the bed and Jensen hogged most of the blankets but they made do...for a few hours. In the middle of the night, Jared awoke buried under a mountain of covers as Jensen rushed into the bathroom. When he finally unearthed himself and followed, he found his boyfriend leaning over the sink as blood poured from his nose. Jensen scrambled to tear off a handful of toilet paper and pushed it against his face hoping to staunch the flow. 

Jared guided Jensen to sit on the closed toilet and held the trashcan out so he could deposit the bloody tissues. Then he grabbed the towel hanging on the rack and offered that to him instead. Jensen looked at the pristine white terry cloth and then back to his boyfriend’s face, he shook his head. There was no way in hell he was going to get blood all over a white towel. All he could think about was the poor maid who would have to clean it… 

Jared sighed and gently laid the towel against his boyfriend’s nose. Jensen tried to protest but it only came out as a gurgle thanks to the liquid draining down his throat. As disgusting as it was, it somewhat soothed his sore throat. However, as soon as the metallic tang hit his empty stomach he began to feel queasy.  _ That  _ plus a dizzy headrush had him bending down with his head between his knees. Jared kept one hand on his shoulder and rubbed his back with the other. The room pitched and swirled, his stomach sloshing and his head throbbing as saliva filled his mouth. He swallowed and tried to breathe through his nose. Unfortunately, with his cold, it was near impossible and all he ended up doing was snorting more mucus into his throat.  _ Oh God, .he did  _ not _ feel good at all…  _

The men sat in the bathroom for over an hour while Jensen fought nausea and waited for the nosebleed to stop. When it finally ended, Jared used a wet washcloth to wipe away the evidence and clean off Jensen’s hands. His shirt was removed and discarded, as well as the pillowcase. They left the sheets on, as there were no spares in the small room and the red splotch was only on Jensen’s side. They fell asleep curled into each other. Jared prayed that tomorrow would be better. 

In the morning, Jared woke alone. At first, he worried that Jensen’s upset stomach had returned, but then he heard the shower going and let out a sigh of relief. Maybe a nice hot shower would help soothe the man’s body aches and clear out his sinuses. Jared rose and stretched, not looking forward to another long day of driving. He was hoping that Jensen would feel well enough to switch off so they could get to San Antonio by tomorrow. 

Jared made his way over to the coffee pot (it was his _ only  _ requirement regarding where they stayed the night), turned it on and then rifled through his bag until he found his jeans from yesterday and a clean long-sleeve tee. He grabbed his shaving bag and knocked gently on the bathroom door. He could hear Jensen coughing between bouts of blowing his nose, but Jared was only human and his bladder demanded his attention. After a raspy  _ come in _ , he opened the door. Steam billowed out and he waved his hand in front of his face. Jensen was sitting on the closed toilet in only a pair of underwear with the small trash can between his feet and a box of tissues on the counter. Next to the kleenex were three small boxes and a smattering of orange capsules. When Jared inquired about the number of pills, Jensen sighed and explained that he had been trying to open the bottle when he had a coughing fit. In his haste to raise his elbow to his mouth so he wouldn’t wake Jared, he had upended the bottle and dumped pills all over the countertop and floor. Jared offered a sympathetic frown and assured him it was no big deal. 

Jensen didn’t feel like leaving the only space that he could breathe in so he just moved over to the sink and brushed his teeth while Jared peed and then hopped in the quickly cooling shower. The water pressure wasn’t the best, but he actually liked how hard it pounded against his skin. It eased the ache from sitting in the car for so long and it felt wonderful to wash the sweat from his skin. Jared ran hot so he rarely used the heater at full-blast when in the car, but with Jensen’s fever, the other man had been shivering and complaining about how cold it was so Jared kept turning it up. Even last night had been too hot for him. Jensen’s body felt like a space heater right now and he had snuggled up against the other man as tightly as possible so Jared was trapped between his feverish boyfriend and a mountain of blankets. 

While Jensen got dressed in a pair of sweats and his henley, Jared rounded up his meds and set them on the nightstand. Fever reducer? Check. Daytime cold meds? Check. Cough syrup? Check. He waited as long as he possibly could before getting fully dressed, gathering up their stuff and repacking the suitcases in only his low-slung jeans. Jensen even attempted to flirt with him from where he was lying on top of the flimsy comforter. Jared chuckled and filled up his travel mug with hot coffee, he hated black but it would have to do. Then he helped his boyfriend bundle back up and they walked out into the cold.

Jensen had been dozing off and on for about an hour when he started to squirm. He turned one way, then twisted the other, tucked the seatbelt under his arm, and threw his arm over his eyes. Jared watched amused. What on earth was he trying to do? He raised his seat back up and sat straight with his eyes focused in front. Jared asked if he was okay, Jensen replied that he had a headache and crossed his arms over his chest. For a while, everything was fine. Jensen would sniffle and cough, Jared would yawn and drink coffee. It was slow going, but they were almost halfway to their destination.

Jared rolled his neck and looked over to check on his passenger. Jensen was sitting forward in his seat with his head in his hands. Jared reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder, asked once again if he was alright. This time, however, Jensen’s answer was no. He raised his head and looked over at Jared, asked him to pull over so he could get out. Jared nodded and looked for a place he could stop. He managed to find a little area underneath a tree that wasn’t as snow-covered as the rest of the road and eased to a stop. 

Jensen opened the door and got out, leaned against the bed of the truck and rested his hands on his knees. His head was throbbing and his stomach was doing somersaults. He should have told Jared sooner that he was feeling carsick, but he thought he could ride it out. He heard the driver’s door open and shut and then Jared was there beside him, gliding his hand up and down Jensen’s back and checking his temp with a hand to his forehead. Jensen realized that his boyfriend assumed it was his flu getting worse, but he felt too nauseous to correct him. 

Jensen gagged, pushed away from Jared when he felt his bland breakfast rise. He leaned over the ditch and coughed sending a mouthful of the plain oatmeal he had ordered at a small cafe onto the snow. Jared held him steady as he threw up onto the side of the road. When his stomach was empty, he accepted the bottle of water Jared offered him and rinsed his mouth. He could feel his nose running and was grateful when Jared handed him a few tissues. He blew his nose and then stood up with his hand resting on his belly. Jared pulled him close and kissed his temple. Jensen still felt like shit, but somehow it helped immensely having someone there to take care of him. 

After Jensen admitted to the other man that it was the car and not the flu that was making him feel bad, Jared suggested he try driving for a little bit. If he got too tired or felt fuzzy at all, Jared said he would take over. It did feel good to be back behind the wheel. Jensen usually drove when it was just the two of them thanks to his tendency to spew as a passenger. The wheel was solid beneath his hands, the pedal just a touch too sensitive to the weight of his boots. He even turned the radio on and once they found a local station, hummed along as best he could with a stuffy nose. He skipped the next dose of cough syrup and opted for a lozenge to soothe his throat so he would feel more alert. 

In Monticello, they stopped at a fast-food restaurant to use the restroom and grab something to eat. Jensen was feeling a little better so he chose chicken strips and a Sprite while Jared ordered two double cheeseburgers, a large fry, a coffee, and a soda. They also shared an apple pie since Jensen really wanted it but didn’t think he could finish it. Before heading out of the city, Jensen made sure to load up on extra kleenexes and cough drops. 

His nose was no longer stuffy, but now he couldn’t seem to get it to stop running. It felt like he was constantly blowing his nose or sniffling. He felt a little embarrassed to be coughing up crud into a tissue while his boyfriend was stuck next to him. Jared made sure to avert his eyes or continue whatever conversation they were having, but Jensen’s cheeks still heated. 

Though they had been dating for a while, not to mention living together, he had done fairly well keeping the gross stuff hidden behind closed doors. He typically banned Jared from the bathroom or chose to use the downstairs one when he was forced to set up camp by the toilet. Jared was rather gassy and tended to let loose wherever he was, but Jensen would try to excuse himself or wait until he was alone to relieve himself. Of course, he’d had to blow his nose occasionally but he did so quietly in another room. 

The only time he allowed Jared to see him in misery was during allergy season. There was no way he could excuse himself every time he needed to sneeze since it happened probably twenty to thirty times a day from mid-February to late-July and most of the time they were on set. That was the main reason that he loved winter in Vancouver, all the pollen-producing plants were dormant. However, in Texas winter was different. He had packed his allergy medicine in preparation for cedar fever but already being under the weather, he probably wouldn’t notice much improvement. 

When the deep painful coughing became too much of a nuisance, Jensen finally relented and switched with Jared so he could take more codeine-laced cough syrup and pass out. Once Jensen was asleep, Jared played with the radio until he found one playing Christmas music. He quietly hummed along to familiar carols and tapped his fingers on the wheel as he peered into the New Mexican landscape. The snow wasn’t as deep here, only a dusting and Jared decided to cancel the room in Albuquerque in favor of getting to San Antonio that much sooner. He called to let them know where they were and chat so the silence wouldn’t drive him crazy. After crossing the border into Texas, the jolly music had faded into static and he had shut it off. 

His mother inquired about Jensen while his dad warned him about the road conditions. They assured him that while the couple would be arriving slightly behind schedule, a day or so, they would still be the first of the kids to arrive. Jeff and his family wouldn’t make it until Christmas Eve as he had two major surgeries to perform and Megan should be there the day after Jared and Jensen arrived. 

Jared couldn’t wait to see his family, he missed them terribly. Although his mom and dad had come up to Vancouver for a visit, that had been back when he still lived in an apartment downtown. And he hadn’t seen his siblings in almost five years. They made a point to skype and chat on the phone, but Jeff was busy with his last year of residency and Megan was barely nineteen, going to college and wanting to hang out with her friends. Because of the immense distances between them, neither of his siblings had met Jensen so this was going to be a big step for all of them. 

In school, Jared had dated a few girls, but never really expressed any interest in the same sex. It wasn’t until he moved out to Los Angeles that he started to experiment and Jensen was the first serious boyfriend he’d had. His family had always acted supportive of his decision to leave home and pursue acting, but when it came to his relationships, they were a little more hesitant. His little sister had been the only one to inquire about his various male flings. His brother didn’t really seem to care either way and although it took a long while, his parents  _ had _ come around. 

Truth was, Sherri loved Jensen. She was always asking about him and making a point to tell her son to say hi to him back when the boys were still only roommates. After they started dating, she became nosier. She wanted to know where he lived, why he chose acting, and where he saw himself in five years. She asked if he loved her son and if he really wanted to be with him. There had been several times that Jared had to end the video chat just so he could reacquire her attention after Jensen walked by in the background. Gerald liked him too, just not as emphatically as his wife. As long as Jensen treated Jared well and made him happy, he was satisfied. 

The hotel in Lubbock was more comfortable than the previous one and Jared was relieved to see the bed was longer too. People just didn’t seem to understand how uncomfortable it was to have your feet hanging off the bed while trying to sleep. The two-queen room had been the last available so the men opted to sleep apart. Jared sprawled with only a thin sheet draped across his stomach while Jensen burrowed into a pile of extra blankets and comforters the desk clerk had been kind enough to provide. 

Yet again, Jared woke in the middle of the night to find the other man missing. However this time he didn’t even have to get out of bed to find out why. Jensen had latched the bathroom door but the deep grating coughs permeated the wood and Jared sighed. Neither of them had gotten a full night’s sleep in four days and it was starting to take a toll. Though part of him wanted to get up and comfort his sick boyfriend, he figured there wasn’t much he could do for a coughing fit so he rolled over and went back to sleep. 

In the morning, Jared discovered that Jensen’s fever had returned when the sick man refused to get out of bed and simply swatted at Jared when he tried to rouse him. Being only six hours away from their destination, Jared tried everything to convince Jensen to get moving. He went down to the lobby and brought back coffee, hot tea, biscuits and gravy, and a stack of pancakes. Jensen groaned and told him he really didn’t feel like eating. He dug around and found his hoodie in Jensen’s bag and offered it to him. His sneaky boyfriend got up, put the hoodie on, used the restroom, and then crawled back into bed. After an hour of attempting to coax Jensen out of his warm cocoon, Jared admitted defeat and turned on the tv. 

Jensen stuck his arm out of the blankets and repositioned the clock so he could see the time: four o’clock. He closed his eyes in hopes of quieting the throb in his temples but quickly opened them so he could grab a tissue and smother a sneeze. The sneeze ratcheted up the pressure in his sinuses and he moaned. It was the worst he had felt so far, and he had absolutely no desire to get back in a moving vehicle. 

Jared looked away from  _ Scrooge _ and winced when Jensen sneezed several times in a row. He could tell by the pained grimace on his boyfriend’s face that he wasn’t feeling well at all. Jared had called his mom earlier to inform her of the delay and told her he would text her when they finally left the hotel. Jensen fixed a pathetic pout on his face and looked at Jared with pleading eyes. Jared got up and walked over, sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through Jensen’s messy hair. He hesitated his hand on his sweaty forehead and cringed at the heat that warmed his palm. 

Jared pushed the covers back and scooped the sick man into his arms before heading to the bathroom. He set a rather grumpy Jensen onto the toilet and then leaned over to turn on the tap. He made sure the water was barely warm and pulled the stopper so the tub would fill. Jensen scowled and coughed as Jared undressed them both. He stood shivering with his arms crossed over his chest while Jared stepped into the water and then held a hand out to him. His teeth chattering, Jensen rolled his eyes, blatantly ignored Jared’s hand and stepped into the tub. 

He sat down and brought his knees to his chest, burrowing his head between them. Jared carefully lowered himself down behind Jensen and wrapped his arms around the sick man. He kissed his shoulder and then leaned back with his knees spread. Jensen looked back when the cold air hit his back. It was evident in his eyes that he wanted to stay mad at Jared but he also really wanted to be cuddled. He gave in and laid down so his back was against Jared’s chest. Jared tangled their fingers together, Jensen let his head fall back onto a broad shoulder. They stayed that way for a while, the water lowering Jensen’s fever while Jared held him. 

When they finally emerged from, the water was cool and the fever had broken. Jensen was thankful that he was no longer freezing, but unfortunately, his head was now killing him. While he stood and Jared dried him off, the pressure in his head was excruciating. That was bad enough, but then he realized there was also a powerful throbbing behind his left eye which was his only warning before spots appeared in his vision and his knees buckled. 

Jared scrambled to catch Jensen as he suddenly collapsed. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath as he gently slapped his boyfriend’s rosy cheek. Jensen groaned and weakly grabbed his wrist before he could do it again. He kept his eyes clenched shut as the pain in his head traveled down and riled up his stomach. He crawled over to the toilet and raise the seat before resting his forehead against the rim. It wasn’t necessarily sanitary, but having the cool porcelain against his skin grounded him and helped him to breathe through an intense wave of nausea. 

Jared hovered nearby, not sure what had caused such a sudden shift in Jensen’s condition. He seemed to be doing better as they laid in the bath, but now he was literally on the floor and looked like he was about to… Jared moved forward as the first heave echoed in the room. Jensen jerked forward over the bowl and coughed before violently expelling the water he had been drinking throughout the day. Jared frowned and rested his forehead on the other man’s back. He wanted so badly to help but once again, there was nothing he could do. He felt utterly helpless, forced to watch as Jensen struggled day after day. It didn’t seem to matter if they were at home or on the road, Jensen seemed fated to be miserable. 

This was supposed to be a nice relaxing way to get away from work and spend time with friends and family over the holidays but somehow it had turned into the hiatus from hell. Tears slid down Jared’s face as he struggled with pent up anxiety. He just wanted to be able to do something! 

Jensen laid the toilet seat back down and rested his cheek against it. His back was wet and he could feel Jared’s body shaking. He reached back and gently soothed him,  _ shush _ ing as loud as his headache would allow. The man was mumbling incoherently, but Jensen understood the gist of it. Jared was upset because Jensen was so sick. He tried reassuring Jared that it was only a headache. Jared snorted derisively.  _ For now.  _ Jensen didn’t argue because Jared was right. It seemed as though he was destined to meet Jared’s family with snot on his face and a raspy voice or an upset stomach and skin glistening sickly with sweat. Regardless, he still intended to go through with it. They had come this far and if they headed back to Vancouver now, he would just be miserable in the car instead of on a soft couch with a fluffy blanket, lying in front of a fireplace and listening to laughter. 

The silence was broken a demanding growl from Jensen’s stomach. Jared laughed and helped him off the floor so they could find him something to eat. Jared had gone over to the vending machine earlier so he wasn’t starved, but once Jensen started talking about food, Jared’s belly answered. They decided on pizza and wings since that was what Jensen was craving and placed the order before getting dressed and getting comfy on the bed. They chose Jared’s since it was closer to the tv and settled on  _ Jack Frost _ . They stayed curled up even after the pizza box was empty and all that remained of the hot wings were the bones. Jared even risked it and incited a lazy makeout session. He figured that he’d been around Jensen long enough already that he was probably going to get sick anyway and he missed the intimacy. They dozed on top of the covers with their bodies tucked close and the sounds of Christmas on the tv lulling them. 

Jensen woke with Jared’s heartbeat in his ear. He sighed happily and snuggled closer, draping his arm over Jared’s waist. He laid in the dark and listened to the man’s deep even breathing, reveled in the feeling of Jared’s body underneath him. The last few weeks before winter hiatus were always busy and they hadn’t really had a chance to just be lazy in bed together. And while Jensen had been anticipating some alone time with Jared while on their trip, he hadn’t expected it to take place in a hotel room five hours away from San Antonio. It was a pleasant surprise and it ignited an intense desire to get to the Padalecki household so they could enjoy the company of Jared’s family and truly relax. 

He carefully slipped out of bed and kissed Jared’s forehead before hopping in a hot shower. He took his time, shampooing his hair and lathering his body. He placed his hands against the wall and let his head hang while the water ran over his achy muscles. He smiled when hands wrapped around his chest and he was pulled back against Jared’s hard body. For the first time in almost a week, his cock twitched with interest. He tilted his head so that Jared could kiss him and moaned when his boyfriend’s hard dick slid between his butt cheeks. 

Jensen spread his legs further apart and reached up to guide one of Jared’s large hands onto his dick. Jared groaned and wrapped his fingers around it before gently fisting it as the water rained down on them. While Jensen thrusted into his hand, Jared pushed closer and rutted against his ass. They traded a few sloppy kisses before their breaths sped up and they could only focus on getting to the edge. Just as Jensen felt his balls tighten, Jared slipped a finger into his ass and rubbed against his prostate. His knees buckled as his dick shot ropes of cum onto the tiles. He panted while coming down, eased his hands to the wall so Jared could dig his fingers into Jensen’s hips. His boyfriend’s movements grew uncoordinated and then his hips stuttered as he came on Jensen’s ass. 

Once their breathing had returned to normal, Jensen got out and dried off while Jared showered. Their shower fun had taken a lot out of him and he yawned while getting dressed. Because they planned on arriving today, Jensen decided to wear the soft midnight blue sweater with his jeans so he looked more put together. While pulling his clothes out, the Christmas sweater Jared had forced him to bring was revealed and he cringed, shaking his head at the dorky image of knitted reindeer kissing underneath fuzzy felt mistletoe. After getting dressed, he forced himself to style his hair and even shave before lying back down on the bed to wait for Jared. 

Jared smiled as he toweled his hair. He hadn’t realized how badly he needed a release until Jensen took control in the shower. He felt ten times lighter. Today they would arrive at the house, he had practically woken up to sex with his gorgeous boyfriend and said boyfriend appeared to be feeling somewhat better. He brushed his teeth and shaved then checked their toiletries bag to make sure there were still enough meds for Jensen before zipping it up and carrying it back into the main room. Jensen was curled up on his side with his eyes closed, Jared chuckled softly and brushed a hand down his face. Jensen’s gravelly voice informed him that  _ I’m not asleep, just resting _ while he waited. Jared rolled his eyes and walked over to their suitcase so he could get dressed. He chose a nice pair of dark wash jeans and a dark grey long-sleeved shirt. He topped it with a puffy grey vest and slipped on his boots before “waking” Jensen. 

They drove thru a fast food place to get some breakfast before heading out on the highway. Jensen was asleep within ten minutes of finishing his egg sandwich and cup of Honey Citrus Mint tea. Jared inhaled both of his chicken sausage sandwiches, then leisurely sipped his coffee while appreciating the familiar landscape of central Texas. As the truck turned onto the quiet sleepy street he had grown up on, he was overcome with nostalgia. It felt good to be home and he couldn’t wait to show Jensen the house where his best friend lived, the tree that shaded his first kiss, the carved initials on the big oak in the front yard, and a spot in the back where his first dog was lovingly buried. 

As the truck pulled into the drive, Jensen stirred and blinked against the bright white landscape. Back at the hotel, it had only been a dusting, but here everything was evenly covered in a layer of sparkling white. He squinted through the windshield and smiled at the snowman holding a  _ Welcome  _ sign. He looked over at Jared and found his boyfriend watching him closely. He reached over and laid his hand on top of Jared’s before leaning over to kiss him. The sweet moment was ruined, however, when Jensen had to pull back so he could cough into his shirt sleeve. 

Jared grabbed their suitcase and the sack of presents from the back while Jensen waited nervously near the front. He smoothed a palm down his thigh and shrugged a shoulder. He coughed into his gloved hands and then fiddled with his scarf. He blew his nose and checked his reflection in the hood. He was readjusting his glasses for the fifth time when Jared shut the tailgate back up and joined him.  _ Relax, Jen, they already love you.  _ Jared grabbed his hand and led him up the sidewalk to the door.

As promised, Jared had texted his mom before they left but he hadn’t received a reply. The dark house matched the sky above them, the sun was just starting to rise. Jensen swallowed and loosened the knot in his scarf. Jared grabbed his hands and held them still. His stomach flipped when a light switched on inside the house. The creak of floorboards indicated that someone had arisen to answer Jared’s knock. The porch light came on and Jensen froze. Jared slid an arm around his shoulders and squeezed. 

There was a squeal from the other side of the door and then it flung open to reveal a girl with long dark hair in a pair of sleep shorts and a faded t-shirt. With a huge smile on her face, she launched herself at Jared. He let go of Jensen so he could catch his little sister and laughed as she hugged him tightly. Jensen stood behind them as Jared twirled her around. He really wanted to go inside, but obviously the two siblings needed a few moments. 

A loud thundering preceded a man with a square jaw charging down the staircase. He was carrying a shotgun and his eyes were determined. Right behind him was a middle-aged woman in a pair of flannel pajamas and sleep-mussed long hair. As soon as they saw what had caused Megan to scream, they rushed out onto the porch and joined the hugfest. Jensen backed up so he was out of the way and reached a hand out to steady himself when a wave of dizziness washed over him. Suddenly his sandwich wasn’t sitting so well… 

Jared was caught in his mother’s arms when he saw Jensen sway and place a hand on his stomach. His brow creased and he abruptly stepped away from his family so he could speak to his boyfriend. Three voices immediately competed asking if he was okay and Jared gently shushed them so he could hear Jensen’s whisper.  _ Jare, I think I’m gonna be sick. _ Jared grasped the other man by the shoulders and steered him into the house and down the hall to the bathroom. He gently shut the door and then walked over to where Jensen was kneeling on the bathmat. Jared sat down on the edge of the bathtub and let the sick man lean his head on Jared’s knees. 

Jensen rested one hand on his sour stomach and the other on the toilet seat as he waited. He coughed once, twice, then burped. His mouth filled with sick and he leaned over the bowl, spitting it out into the water. He belched up another stream of vomit and felt Jared’s hand on his lower back. In between bouts of heaving, Jared laid his free hand on Jensen’s forehead and was relieved to find the fever wasn’t back. They managed to remove Jensen’s coat, scarf, and gloves, and then Jared rolled Jensen’s sleeves up since he was a little occupied trying to throw up everything he’d eaten. 

A hesitant knock on the door made Jensen groan and Jared rise. He crouched down next to his sick boyfriend and kissed his head assuring him he would be right back, Then he opened the door and slipped out into the hallway blocking the view of Jensen on the floor. Sherri’s face was creased with concern and she rested her hand on Jared’s arm.  _ Is there anything I can do?  _ Jared gave her a sad smile and shook his head. She told him that Gerald had taken their suitcase to the guest bedroom located at the end of the hall and the bed was turned down in case they wanted to sleep. Jared thanked her and rested his chin on her shoulder when she pulled him into a hug.  _ Welcome home, JT. _

After his mother had left with the boys’ winter attire, Jared helped a shaky Jensen rinse his mouth and then led him down the hall and into the bedroom. Jensen didn’t even bother taking his clothes off, just removed his boots and then curled up on the bed with his arms wrapped over his stomach. He coughed, sending spittle onto the bedsheet and whimpered. Jared unlaced his boots and then crawled onto the bed behind his sick boyfriend. He wrapped his arms around Jensen and frowned when he the other man sniffled. It wasn’t a sick sniffle, no, this was an  _ I’m crying and don’t want anyone to see _ sniffle. 

Jared leaned further over so he could kiss a tear-stained cheek. _ Don’t worry about them. I’m right here. I’ve got you.  _


End file.
